JAMISON MANAGEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT HC 68, Box 79-S, Gila Hot Springs, Silver City, New Mexico 575-536-9339 [email protected] OUTLINE OF COMMUNITY CAPITALS In their essay, “Generating Community Change,” Cornelia and Jan Flora (2008) developed the Community Capitals Framework as an approach to analyze how communities work. Based on their research to uncover characteristics of entrepreneurial and sustainable communities, they found that the communities most successful in supporting healthy sustainable community and economic development paid attention to all seven types of capital: natural, cultural, human, social, political, financial, and built. In addition to identifying the capitals and the role each plays in community economic development, this approach also focuses on the interaction among these seven capitals as well as how investments in one capital can build assets in others. Community Capitals are intrinsic attributes of the community. They are referred to as “capitals” because investing them to achieve self-determined goals and objectives yields greater returns in quality of community life. Community development requires commitment, conviction, courage, and humility. Even though outside consultants may be involved in the process, the people must be in control and the projects derived from local resources and initiatives. The ultimate authority is the community and the ultimate sustainability comes from the community’s investment in its capitals. No matter what may be constructed or accomplished, if it is not done in response to self-identified needs, if it is not community-based and culturally-relevant, then lasting change is illusive. Skilled leadership, transparency, community involvement, and effective political structures develop community capitals into citizen tools for supporting self-determination and sustainability. These are seven Community Capitals identified and accepted by many community development practitioners. Users can expand and elaborate on this list: 1. Cultural Capital and Legacy 2. Social Capital and Community 3. Human Capital 4. Political Capital 5. Natural and Environmental Capital 6. Financial Capital 7. Infrastructure and Physical Capital page 2 of 4 community capitals outline 1. Cultural Capital gives individuals their sense of identity and their range of alternatives in a changing society. This includes: relationships and kinships among the community members and with the other Beings of Creation; the canyons and mountain tops that keep ceremonies alive; and land formations, vegetation and animals, water sources and pathways connected by the people’s stories, from the mythic past to the revealed present. The role of culture in development is complex and cannot easily be reduced to simple ‘if this, then that’ statements that apply universally. In general, culture and the institutions of governance are a crucial pair of factors in development. Unless there is a fit between the culture of the community, the structure and powers of its governing institutions, and the projects being proposed, development will be either blocked or will not be supported by the community members. It is important to have a culturally-based agreement about what change is desired and how it should take place. 2. Social Capital are assets that contribute to the development of other forms of community capital. Social relationships and networks are a form of capital because these social resources require investments in time and energy, with the anticipation that individuals can tap into these resources when necessary. Daily experiences in the community can present a number of puzzles that can be untangled only with an understanding of how this social capital is constructed through the networks of bonding and bridging. In traditional and indigenous communities, recognition of colonialism and its impacts on the federal and tribal governments can be understood by recalling the basis of stories and defiance of ancestors who prevailed over physically stronger forces and, in the depth of terrible struggles, were fortified by their ceremonies. 3. Human Capital includes leadership skills, capacity, labor skills, education background, artistic development and appreciation, health, native language skills, traditional practitioners, and values. Human capital contributes to the community members’ abilities to create a meaningful existence in the contemporary world, continue traditional practices as a means for supporting lifeways and quotidian needs, strengthen community, and contribute to community organizations, education, families, and self- improvement. Problems arise when external values and objectives come into conflict with the local culture and socioeconomic structure. Projects must create avenues for full participation in policy and decision-making. Identify what the community has done right and start from there. Investments in leadership and capacity increase the community’s human capital. page 3 of 4 community capitals outline 4. Political Capital is the ability of a group to influence the distribution of resources within a social unit, including helping set the agenda of what resources are available. Often, the planning process is highly politicized. Planning involves highly-visible issues that people care deeply about; the financial stakes are often high; and almost any major planning decision or action has consequences that affect people differentially depending on status and circumstances. Change and development can be hampered by a culturally-irrelevant political system imposed by an outside colonial power that becomes entrenched and far removed from community access. Identify the strengths of the political side of the community, avenues for involvement, and positive ways to exercise and strengthen sovereignty. 5. Natural and Environmental Capital are natural and manmade features of a community that cannot be recreated or transferred to other communities. These capitals inform the basis for a community’s existence. The dominant culture looks at natural resources primarily in terms of their productive value, but traditional and indigenous communities usually view these capitals as the source of Life, the foundation for cultural values. Any development of such resources is a serious consideration in terms of the other capitals. The moral significance of geographical locations, environment, natural resources, and Creation has been established by historical relationships to these capitals and the stories associated with them. It is often said that those who fail to remember place names in their own language forget where they are. Place names are associated with stories that recall the community’s culturally and socially acceptable behavior, its history and movements through the universe. The connection of natural resources and the environment with stories informs present actions by relating them to past occurrences and community values. At the same time, these capitals are a foundation for language learning; for recovering traditional knowledge, for instilling pride in how the ancestors made a living and cared for the environment; for passing on the cultural, social, and other capitals. 6. Financial Capital is both tangible and intangible. It can be the power to organize all the other capitals in such a way as to convince those who have money to invest. It can be reputation, a good plan, or other types of instruments that generate the cash for economic development. Resource Partners, those who believe in the dream and the ability of the community, are part of this financial capital. page 4 of 4 community capitals outline Community institutions, government programs, and market-based solutions address the need for financial capital. Through development of and participation in locally-relevant programs, the community members contribute to their own future, including those who may be living and working outside the community. The government’s job is to create the infrastructure – the physical capital – and exercise the sovereignty that can support a range of opportunities for all citizens to participate in and benefit form the financial capitals. 7. Physical Capital is the infrastructure and structures, all the connecting parts that articulate the interaction of the other capitals. Built capital is most often a collaboration between public and private investment. The most sustainable and effective projects are driven by community identification of their own interests, challenges, and culturally-relevant ways of addressing them to achieve self-determined outcomes. These include creating the systems that support community development, such as corporation codes, zoning and land use, management policies and procedures, and the leadership and capacity needed to manage the infrastructure from within which community members can derive a sustainable income. Physical Capital is often a focus of community development. However, the “edifice complex” can become an easy, tangible target that actually results in draining other resources and creating a structure that does not address the real challenges. Mapping Impact Using the Community Capitals Framework Determining the overall impact of programs presents a challenge to program managers. Often, narrow program designs can overlook important outcomes and results that may occur outside the scope of program activities. In order to identify potential indicators of program success, we engage participants and stakeholders in mapping impact using the Community Capitals Framework. This process also allows us to identify potential indicators of success based on the actual program impact in the community. Reference: Flora, Cornelia B. and Jan L. Flora. 2008. “Generating community change.” Pp. 345-376 in Rural Communities: Legacy + Change. 3rd ed. Boulder, CO: Westview Press. “Rather than heroes who tell us what to do, we need servants to help us do the work ourselves.” Chrislip and Larson (1994), cited in Janet Ayers, http://nacdep.net .